A Visit to Harpo’s Place: The Marx Brothers Family Rules and More
As many of you may already know, I am a huge fan of The Marx Brothers. I’ve enjoyed their movies ever since I was a little kid, thanks to my father, who introduced me to their movies. As I watched these films with my dad, he would explain to me about their quick wit (listen to every word), and their wonderful musicianship (look at Harpo play that harp). To this day, I laugh out loud whenever I watch their films, and marvel when I watch them joyously playing their instruments.
Please do yourself a favor and check out the Harpo’s Place website. It’s a treasure trove of personal, heartfelt information and anecdotes penned by Bill Marx, with lots of wonderful and rare photos that will make you feel as if you’re part of the family. You can even see Harpo’s prop box and pictures of his hat, coat, wig and more (wow!).
There are too many pictures to count on the website, but I am posting three of my favorites here… Enjoy!
Although there are so many wonderful family photos on the site, I picked this one to post here… For those of you who may not know, Harpo was also a talented artist. This is one of Harpo’s oil paintings (“Alp’s” oil on canvas, 1964) (from Harpo’s Place website)
Hope you enjoyed this quick visit to Harpo’s Place!
Silents are Golden: What Was The Deal With Silent Film Makeup?
If you’re a new fan of silent films, you’re probably getting used to the slightly quicker speed, the old-fashioned acting styles, and the occasional scratchy film print. But maybe there’s one thing that still stands out, and keeps piquing your curiosity–what was the deal with silent film makeup?
As Pola Negri glamorously demonstrates.
Whitened faces, darkened eyes, rosebud lips,
painted-on eyebrows–makeup in silent films was definitely distinct. And while
the fashions of the day help explain some of these looks, there were technical
reasons for them, too. Film technology was more primitive, types of lighting
were more limited, and there was a whole background of theater traditions that
actors still followed. Not to mention the limitations of old theater lighting…!
Allow me to explain.
By the time cinema was invented, there was already a long-running tradition of thick, exaggerated stage makeup. This was mainly so it would be visible from anywhere in a theater. Unlike today, when we have endless types of lights our disposal, old theaters had to make do with candles and oil lamps. If actors’ makeup was a little too thick it was no big deal since the softer lighting hid a lot of imperfections.
Chandeliers light a 17th-century stage.
By the 19th century, gaslights were being introduced, which lit up stages more brightly than ever before, and actors had to start applying makeup with more care. There was a lot of experimentation with different types of makeup–made of everything from lard to beeswax–until sticks of greasepaint were introduced in the 1870s. This greasepaint, layered with powder and paired with eyeliner, became the standard for theater actors.
And once cinema became all the rage, actors
kept using that same type of makeup for the screen. Only this time there were
even more complications. The earliest type of film was orthochromatic, meaning
it was sensitive to blue light and didn’t register some colors normally. Light
blue would appear white (many an old silent featured white skies), and red and
certain shades of green and dark blue would appear black. Bare skin might look
coarse or dirty, and rouge on the cheeks would make an actor look alarmingly
gaunt. Plus, some film sets were open air, while others used harsh klieg
lights, further complicating matters. And if all that weren’t enough, actors
were usually in charge of their own makeup.
Still from The Sewer (1912), from The Motion Picture Story Magazine.
So once again, it was time to experiment and
see which colors would register as “normal” on screen. Makeup for the face was
yellowish, with the eyes rimmed with brown or black. Lipstick might be a soft
red that was applied sparingly (since it looked darker on film) or brown.
Eyeshadow might be used too, and actors often penciled in their eyebrows. One
1916 book on film acting admonished: “The first and last caution on making up
for the movies is ‘DO NOT OVERDO IT’…A knowledge of stage makeup is of little
value except as it aids one in the manner of application.”
Not everyone could pull off Theda Bara’s look.
The method for applying this makeup was usually pretty straightforward: after cleaning the skin with cold cream, greasepaint was applied in streaks and then blended, making sure it coated the face right up to the hairline (even covering the ears, fronts, and backs). The powder would be dabbed on with a puff, then brushed off, then applied one or two more times so the skin would appear even. Eyebrows and eyes would be lined, and rouge applied to the lips (although men often skipped the latter). An actor with Lon Chaney-esque makeup skills might also play around with highlighting or contouring the face or might add age makeup or prosthetics depending on the role. It was also recommended to paint any darkened teeth white with enamel. At the end of a day’s shooting, the makeup was wiped away with cold cream. As you might imagine, all of this could be pretty hard on skin!
Early movie makeup diagram for color and black & white
Some actors succeeded in looking more or less natural on film, while others were, shall we say, more obviously painted up. Some early film studios embraced the difference by having extras and bit players go makeup-free, helping the main stars stand out. And, of course, early comedians reveled in clown-like heavy makeup. No eyeliner was too thick, no painted-on eyebrows too luxurious–and bushy fake mustaches were popular, too. (These looks fell under the banner of “grotesque” character makeup.)
Nowhere was grotesque makeup more magnificent than at Keystone.
In 1914, the legendary makeup artist Max Factor decided to release a line of makeup, especially for film use. Twelve shades of his “Superior Greasepaint” were available, as well as powders formulated to look best onscreen. For actors, having these products available must’ve been something of a relief. Factor would expand his brand as time went on, offering a full thirty-one shades of greasepaint by the 1920s.
As film makeup was growing more sophisticated,
so was film technology. Panchromatic film, which registered colors more
normally, replaced the old orthochromatic film in the 1920s, and klieg lights
were replaced by incandescent lamps. Thus, makeup could finally afford to be
more subtle. “Makeup specialists,” or makeup artists as we call them today,
became more common until they were an essential part of the Hollywood
landscape.
Clara shows off a subtler look.
Silent film makeup can seem odd to us today, helping an already underappreciated era seem even more remote. Yet it can also charm us, making us feel we’re truly experiencing a time gone by. Personally, whenever I watch old dramas where the hero has painted-on eyebrows or comedies where the leads have whitened faces and fake mustaches, I’m reminded how close these old films were to the centuries of theater traditions…and I’m reminded all over again how lucky we are that silent movies survive.
Lea Stans is a born-and-raised Minnesotan with a degree in English and an obsessive interest in the silent film era (which she largely blames on Buster Keaton). In addition to blogging about her passion at her site Silent-ology, she is a columnist for the Silent Film Quarterlyand has also written for The Keaton Chronicle.
The other night, I participated in a #FilmNoirFriday thread on Twitter, where I offered up a film noir recommendation. I selected The Big Combo(1955), which is one of the many noirs that I love, but which doesn’t get a lot of attention. This first-rate feature stars Cornel Wilde, (Wilde’s then-wife) Jean Wallace, Brian Donlevy, Earl Holliman, and Lee Van Cleef.
Oh, and there was one more star in the film: Richard Conte.
I have been known to declare that I could cheerfully watch Richard Conte tie his shoelaces, or listen to him recite the pages of the phone book. In other words, I’m pretty crazy about this guy as an actor, and particularly as a film noir actor. He can be seen in more than 10 movies from the classic noir era, playing roles that range from a mild-mannered, bow tie-wearing husband of a kleptomaniac, to a heartless, stone-cold hitman. This month’s Noir Nook offers the third entry in my series of film noir features that can be found on YouTube – it’s another underrated Conte noir, Cry of the City (1948), which contains one of my favorite Conte performances.
Cry of the City (1948)
In this picture, Conte is Martin Rome, a small-time hood who
kills a cop during a bungled robbery attempt and, despite being injured during
the crime, manages to escape from police custody. While on the lam, Rome has a
number of memorable encounters. He tries to extort ten grand from a crooked attorney
who pulls a gun on Rome and winds up getting knifed for his troubles. He goes
to his family home, hoping to get some comfort and rest from his devoted and
loving mother, only to be literally handed his coat and shown the door. And his
hero-worshipping kid brother arranges for Martin to rendezvous with his naïve
and loyal girlfriend, Tina, who he tries to convince to run away with him.
Richard Conte and Shelley Winters
In Martin Rome, Conte gives us a portrait of a criminal who can, in turn, be smart, shrewd, and even charming but is completely deficient when it comes to considering others, even those whom he professes to love most. A self-centered user who was always able to self-justify his nefarious acts, Martin’s efforts to achieve his own ends always came above all else, whether that meant a stiff prison sentence for the jail trusty who helped him break out, or endangering this lives of his young brother or girlfriend. His mother hit the nail on the head in what would be her final meeting with her wayward son: “You have no feelings for other people. You only care for Marty.”
Richard Conte and Victor Mature
Conte is ably supported by Victor Mature (in what I consider to be one of his best roles), Barry Kroeger as the corrupt and ill-fated attorney, Tommy Cook (who’s still with us at age 89) as Martin’s brother, and, as Martin’s girlfriend, Debra Paget in her film debut. The film was directed by noir veteran Robert Siodmak, who also helmed such gems as Phantom Lady (1944), The Killers (1946), Criss Cross (1948), and The File on Thelma Jordon (1949).
If you’re new to Cry of the City, you’re in for a treat – and if it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, do yourself a favor and give it a re-watch. You only owe it to yourself.
…
– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub
Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages. If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:
Win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: Meet Me in St. Louis (75th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen! In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Dec 8 and Wed Dec 11
“But the main thing is, Tootie, that we’re all going to be together, just like we’ve always been. That’s what really counts. We could be happy anywhere as long as we’re together.”
Well, what a happy surprise, just in time for the Holidays! CMH is thrilled to be able to run this very special ticket giveaway, courtesy of our long-standing partnership with Fathom Events… A perfectly wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season!
That said, we’ll be giving away EIGHT PAIRS of tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: Meet Me in St. Louis (75th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen — starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Lucille Bremer, Mary Astor and Leon Ames.
In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Sunday, Nov 24 at 6pm EST.
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday Nov 24, around 10pm ET. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Sunday Nov 24 at 6pm EST…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
THE QUESTION: What do you love most about this film? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to win tickets?
2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message: I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: Meet Me in St. Louis (75th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents – you can #EnterToWin too at http://ow.ly/RyK350xetg9
IMPORTANT: If you don’t have a Twitter account OR if your Twitter account is private, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account (or it is private), so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.
ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…
This scene breaks my heart every time!
About the film: Fathom Events, TCM and Warner Bros. Pictures present Meet Me in St. Louis returning to select theaters for a special 75th anniversary event. Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien star in this heartwarming tale of a colorful early 20th century St. Louis family who learn their father has been transferred–and they will have to move away from the town and friends they love to New York. This anniversary event includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies. Not Rated – Some content may not be suitable for young children and could include mild violence, stronger language and some sexual situations/dialogue. Parents may want to watch with children under the age of 9.
Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest. (see contest rules for further information)
BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).
Costume Designers Julian Day and Paul Tazewell Re-Imagine ‘Rebecca’ and ‘West Side Story’
As classic movie lovers, we can be a very sensitive group when it comes to messing with our favorites. Even movies that seem to get a new version for each successive generation get severely criticized by those of us who are devotees of the originals.
While Lady Gaga received a lot of acclaim for last year’s version of A Star Is Born, co-starring and directed by Bradley Cooper, our community largely dismissed the film in favor of proclaiming whether we were on Team Streisand (1976), Team Garland (1954), or Team Gaynor (1937). Some of us even expressed our preference for Team Constance, citing the precursor to the story, What Price Hollywood? (1932) starring Constance Bennett. Similarly, the Jo March we profess allegiance to might depend on a lot of factors including which cinematic version of Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel we saw first. Personally, my preferred Jo will always be June Allyson (1949) but I know there are equally passionate supporters of Katharine Hepburn (1933) and Winona Ryder (1994), and there will undoubtedly be those who align with Saoirse Ronan in Greta Gerwig’s new version of the story that will be released on Christmas Day.
Some classic films are considered so sacrosanct that even vague rumors of them being remade cause a near panic among cinephiles. Every few years I read a story about someone thinking of doing a remake of Michael Curtiz’s 1942 film Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. In 2008, there was a story that Madonna was contemplating a remake of the film set in Iraq. There were two attempts to turn the story into a Broadway musical (both failed) and most classic movie fans have mercifully forgotten the 1983 television series Casablanca starring David Soul as Rick (it was cancelled after three episodes).
There are many other classics that have been subject to remakes, sometimes successfully, sometimes less so. Two of the worst offenders, in my opinion, are Switching Channels, the awful 1988 remake of His Girl Friday (itself a fantastic remake of The Front Page) that starred Kathleen Turner, Burt Reynolds, and Christopher Reeve, and the horrendous 2008 version of The Women that starred Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, and Eva Mendes as Mary Haines, Sylvia Fowler, and Crystal Allen. Sorry, ladies, but that film was an abomination, way worse than The Opposite Sex, MGM’s 1956 attempt to turn The Women into a musical and to stupidly add men to the cast. A few years ago, as an April Fool’s Day prank on NPR, movie critic Bob Mondello convinced a lot of horrified listeners that a remake of Citizen Kane was in the works starring Keanu Reeves as a hipster version of Charles Foster Kane. The ensuing hysteria on NPR’s website showed how the moviegoing public would respond to such sacrilege.
Earlier this week, I had the good fortune to speak to two extremely talented costume designers to get the scoop on two upcoming remakes that are sure to produce a lot of tongue-wagging in the classic film community. Both films have recently completed shooting and will be released next year. After talking to these two, I can’t wait to see them.
Costume designers Julian Day and Paul Tazewell
Coming on the heels of his incredible work in Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody, designer Julian Day’s next project is Ben Wheatley’s new version of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) which, of course, starred Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, and Judith Anderson. This new take on Daphne Du Maurier’s classic novel features Armie Hammer as Maxim de Winter, Lily James as the second Mrs. de Winter, and Kristin Scott Thomas as the indomitable and terrifying housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. Paul Tazewell, after winning a much-deserved Tony award for his excellent costume design in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash musical “Hamilton,” is also responsible for the stunning historical costumes in Harriet, the new film about Harriet Tubman starring the brilliant Cynthia Erivo as the Underground Railroad icon. From that he went right into creating the costumes for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming new version of West Side Story. I asked both men if they felt nervous about re-imagining these iconic characters.
Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, and Judith Anderson in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940)
Danny Miller: Julian, what does it feel like to redo such a beloved film like Rebecca?
Julian Day: Well, our film is based more on the Daphne Du Maurier novel than Hitchcock’s great movie, which I love, but it’s still, of course, a little daunting. I am a huge Hitchcock fan.
As soon as I saw that Kristin Scott Thomas was playing Mrs. Danvers, I breathed a big sigh of relief. As much as I worship Judith Anderson’s performance, Thomas seems perfect for that part.
Oh God, she’s fantastic. You need to see her. [Day looks through his phone and shows me a bunch of amazing photos of Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs. Danvers that make me very excited about seeing the film.] Kristin is amazing in the film, as always. I really get on with Kristin and I love working with her, I’ve dressed her a few times.
Are you a fan of the costume designers of classic Hollywood? I believe Irene did the costumes for Rebecca but didn’t even receive screen credit for it.
Oh, of course, they were fantastic. And yeah, they didn’t get a lot of credit in those days.
They didn’t even have an Oscar for that category until 1948. Were there any homages to Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine in your designs?
We definitely wanted to base our depictions of the characters more on Du Maurier’s book but I certainly loved the way Olivier and Fontaine looked in the original. [At this point, Day shows me more photos from the film that I wish I could reproduce here. Lily James’ gowns are absolutely stunning and Kristin Scott Thomas’s Mrs. Danvers drag is exquisite.]
Oh wow, I love this progression with Mrs. Danvers.
She’s just incredible. There’s this one bit where she comes out of the shadows and Ben just focuses on her eyes which are so amazing. It was fun to do because you know Mrs. Danvers basically has this one outfit throughout the film but I changed her blouses. For me, her character is like a big bruise. She is damaged and the house is damaged, so I thought about how bruises change. They go from black to purple to blue to a kind of oak color. So all her blouses change as the movie progresses — it’s like her bruising gets worse and worse.
I am excited to see what they do with the story without the 1940 censorship restraints. I assume we’re going to learn more about Mrs. Danvers feelings about Rebecca.
Oh, yeah, just wait! We’ll talk again later!
The cast of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story including Ansel Elgort as Tony and Rachel Zegler as Maria
Paul, was it a little scary to take on such a classic as West Side Story?
Paul Tazewell: It was a really exciting summer. We filmed mostly in New York with a little bit in Patterson, New Jersey. We stuck to the time period of when the original was created, the 1950s, and it was such a delight working with Steven Spielberg. I think it’s going to be a stunning film.
But is it a little nerve-wracking that you all know that many of us have every frame of the original memorized?
I hope that we’ve been able to create a parallel version of West Side Story that people will grow to love. The cast is out of this world — they’re all young and so full of life. And we have Rita Moreno in our cast, too, so that’s also a big plus and a connection to the original film. It was a great group all around. There’s no question that the original film is beloved and I hope our film just adds to that experience in the same way seeing a new stage production of West Side Story does, which we’re actually going to be treated to very soon.
Frankly, knowing that Rita Moreno was the only actual Puerto Rican actor in the original cast makes me excited about seeing a more diverse group in the new movie.
Absolutely, you’re going to see a lot of diversity in our cast. I look forward to talking with you when that film comes out late next year.
Stay tuned to this space for more on these exciting if somewhat controversial films. Do you have any lines in the sand on this topic? What classic movie remake would have you picketing the theater?
When viewing the restored The King of Jazz (1930) film, the
act that captivates my attention most is the energetic duo performance by
Marion Stadler and Don Rose. In learning about the vaudeville backgrounds of
several other performers in the film, the story of Stadler and Rose both on the
camera and off has intrigued me. Though their appearance in the film is brief,
their presence and skill as acrobatic dancers paired with light comedy is
phenomenal.
King of Jazz (1930)
Marion Eleanor Stadler was born on December 15, 1911. There are some
conflicts as to her birthplace, as the 1930s census lists her being born in
Illinois, while other documents claim that she was born in Huntington Park or
Glendale, California. With these discrepancies taken into consideration, the
1930 census does indicate that her parents, Harold J. Stadler and Ella M. Weber
Stadler were living with her grandmother, Johanna F. Stadler, in Pasadena,
California. Johanna was listed as the head of the household. Of the residents,
Harold is listed as maintaining a furniture store in town and being born in
Illinois, while Ella was born in Germany. The store was located in the Atwater
area and the family lived nearby. At the time of the census, Marion was well
into her dancing career. She is listed as working as a dancer in the theater by
age 18.
Stadler exhibited a fondness for dance at an early age. She took lessons to
sharpen her skills and even treated her fellow graduating eighth-grade
classmates to a special ballet performance executed by her. Soon enough, she
would pursue this passion as a profession, teaming with Matt Duffin. While the
partnership offered her strong experience with the rigors of traveling and
performing with a teammate, their partnership lasted from 1926 to 1927.
The following year, Stadler partnered once again but with an individual who
had no formal training as a dancer: Donald Crowne Rose, born on August 29,
1902, in Nevada. Instead of focusing upon dancing, he aimed to elicit laughter
among audiences and to impress them by an acrobatic style of dancing with
Stadler.
Ragdoll dance scene from King of Jazz (1930)
Stadler’s dancing style with him mimicked that of a ragdoll, being
masterfully tossed about the stage by Rose and appearing to be totally
malleable by his strong lead. As they toured the vaudeville circuit and grew in
popularity, they made several appearances in different film shorts and in a
Pathe featurette. As they continued to build upon their ragdoll act, they were
booked as part of Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic in 1929. Their act
appeared at the New Amsterdam Theater’s rooftop theater in New York, working
alongside the likes of torch singer Helen Morgan, the Duncan Sisters, and Paul
Whiteman. After their engagement with Ziegfeld, they continued to tour in the
Publix circuit as part of John Murray Anderson’s unit, touring Massachusetts,
New York, Illinois, Indiana, Washington, D.C., Ohio, and Michigan.
In 1930, the duo also appeared in The King of Jazz, a
Technicolor variety show with Paul Whiteman’s orchestra at the helm. The
partners performed their ragdoll routine to the tune of “Ragamuffin
Romeo,” sung by Jeanie Lang and George Giles, telling the story of a
rag-collector who dreams up his very own rag mate. Once his fantasy comes true,
Stadler and Rose launch into their ragdoll act in full force, with a routine
that continues to entertain and excite audiences to this day. Though Stadler’s
last name is misspelled “Stattler,” the routine is executed with
intricate control and amazing energy.
While they rehearsed for the film, they were simultaneously working through
a four-week booking at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, where they received
praise from local critics. After the release of the film, the duo toured all
over the world, with documented trips in Poland, England, Italy, and more.
Along the way, their partnership was made all the more official by their
marriage in 1936. Their extensive travels came to a close with the start of
World War II.
Once the duo retired from dancing, they sought out other career pursuits
together as they resided in Glendale, California. The couple remained married
until Rose’s passing on September 4, 1987, after which Stadler lived on her own
for a time. She retired to Rockhaven Sanitarium in 1994, a private mental
health institution for women housed in a serene environment, where she
developed many friendships, participated in the activities offered there, and
spent time enjoying the gardens there. Stadler also shared her enthusiasm for
dance with the community, screening a video of some of her dance routines
there. Stadler remained at Rockhaven until her passing on December 23, 2011.
In 1930, Stadler lived at 981 Parkman St. in Pasadena, California, with her
grandmother and parents. This is the property at present:
981 Parkman St. in Pasadena, California
By 1947, she was living at 925 Centinela Ave. in Los Angeles, California.
Here is the property today:
925 Centinela Ave. in Los Angeles, California
The address of the home she shared with Rose at 606 E Broadway is listed
alongside the Village Laundro Meter in Glendale, California. The home no longer
exists.
Rockhaven stood at 2713 Honolulu Avenue in Montrose, California. Among its residents were Stadler, Gladys Pearl Eley Baker (mother of Marilyn Monroe), Billie Burke, Peggy Fears, Josephine Dillon, Babe Egan, and Gwen Lee. It developed a reputation as a “Screen Actors’ Sanitarium,” frequently housing those connected to the entertainment industry. After changes in ownership and threats to raze the historic property, the City of Glendale purchased the property in 2007 for use as a community park.
As of 2016, the site was considered for use as a mental health facility or shopping center. Despite objections by the City of Glendale, the Friends of Rockhaven successfully nominated the structure for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in April 2016. The Friends of Rockhaven work to protect the buildings and legacy of the property and host tours to educate the public in hopes of encouraging the restoration of the property and see it used as a public park or community center. Today, Rockhaven sits unoccupied but is very much intact on the inside and outside.
The Friends of Rockhaven – 2713 Honolulu Avenue in Montrose, California
Stadler’s scrapbooks highlighting her life and career are part of the New York Public Library’s collection, housed in the Lincoln Center archives for dance.
Though Stadler and Rose are long gone, their act and partnership are lovingly preserved in TheKing of Jazz.
Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.
Cooking with the Stars: Joel McCrea’s
(and Frances Dee’s) Boot Kicking Range Top Casserole
Joel McCrea & Frances Dee
As the leaves have started to fall from the trees and I’ve begun bringing out the autumnal decorations in the house, my mind has been wandering towards comforting fall dishes made by the stars.
Of course classic Hollywood came out in full force in the cookbooks and magazines of yesteryear, and many recipes are still available that revolve around Thanksgiving and fall. However, I knew that I was onto something when I discovered that my newest classic film star crush, Joel McCrea, celebrates his 114th birthday on November 5th and that I had a delightful and homey-looking recipe of his in my archives!
While you might not feel compelled to make this western-style dinner when you’re surrounded by your family and friends on Thanksgiving, I do feel like this would make quite the dish to cook at home when you want a full belly and some food to put you at ease, and to me, that’s what this season’s all about. I hope you read on and learn more about this hunk of an actor and find out all about his dish fit for the strapping cowboy of the silver screen!
Joel McCrea early in his career
Joel McCrea was born on November 5, 1905, in Pasadena, California to Thomas McCrea, an executive with the Los Angeles Gas & Electric Company, and Louise “Lou” Whipple, a Christian Science practitioner. From an early age, Joel mingled with those in the entertainment industry, as one of his first jobs was maintaining a paper route which included the homes of stars and filmmakers like Cecil B. DeMille. Throughout his youth, he had many opportunities to find himself in Hollywood as he not only witnessed the filming of D.W. Griffith‘s famed Intolerance (1916), but also starred as an extra in various features and serials.
By the time he graduated from Hollywood High School, which he attended alongside future director of his work Jacques Tourneur, Joel stood tall at 6’2½” and worked as a stunt double and horse handler for some of the most prominent western stars in the business such as William S. Hart and Tom Mix. He also attended Pomona College, the alma mater of fellow leading men like Randolph Scott, Robert Young, and Victor Mature, and acted on stage, took classes in drama and public speaking, and appeared regularly at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Joel McCrea in a particularly steamy scene opposite Dolores del Rio in Bird of Paradise (1932)
It was during one of his jobs as an extra that McCrea got the chance of a lifetime, as he was chosen out of the crowd for a major role in The Jazz Age (1930). That opportunity only led to greater ones, and it wasn’t long before multiple studios took notice of the promising newcomer.
MGM was the first to sign the budding actor and gave Joel his first leading role in The Silver Horde (1930), but at first, Joel was difficult to place in any one studio or character type. His time at MGM lasted less than a year, and from there he dabbled in westerns at Fox with Will Rogers, who became one of his closest friends in Hollywood and one of his greatest supporters.
However, what really gave Joel’s career the chance to skyrocket were his portrayals of sexy leading men in a variety of steamy pre-codes such as Girls About Town (1931) at Paramount along with Kay Francis and Lilyan Tashman and Bird of Paradise (1932) at RKO with Dolores del Rio, the latter of which caused great controversy over its nude scenes yet at the same time gave him some much-needed and deserved notoriety.
Joel McCrea looking close to co-star Veronica Lake on the set of Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
From there, McCrea established himself as a handsome leading man capable of excelling in a variety of roles, and he maintained a steady career doing just that throughout the remainder of the 1930s in films like The Silver Cord (1933), which introduced McCrea to Frances Dee, who would become his wife of fifty-seven years until his passing in 1990.
While he continued to be a moderate box office success and delightful onscreen presence throughout this decade, it was the 1940s which would associate him with some of the most influential movies and directors of his era, starting with his collaboration with Gregory La Cava in the heartfelt drama Primrose Path (1940) with Ginger Rogers. The peak of his career continued with another dramatic role in Alfred Hitchcock‘s Foreign Correspondent (1940), but by 1941 director Preston Sturges discovered McCrea’s knack for comedy and cast him in what I believe is one of Hollywood’s greatest takes on itself: Sullivan’s Travels (1941). That feature was soon followed up with the even more successful The Palm Beach Story (1942), and soon George Stevens decided to use his talents for Joel’s third popular comedy of the decade: The More the Merrier (1943).
Joel McCrea and Virginia Mayo in a scene from Colorado Territory (1949), a Western remake of High Sierra (1941) that compares to the original.
The remainder of the 1940s bounced McCrea around from genre to genre, by the decade’s end he had found his true calling and what he loved best: westerns.
McCrea was later quoted as stating, in an interview from 1978: “I liked doing comedies, but as I got older, I was better suited to do Westerns. Because I think it becomes unattractive for an older fellow trying to look young, falling in love with attractive girls in those kinds of situations…. Anyway, I always felt so much more comfortable in the Western. The minute I got a horse and a hat and a pair of boots on, I felt easier. I didn’t feel like I was an actor anymore. I felt like I was the guy out there doing it.”
Joel McCrea milking a cow on his ranch. Image courtesy of The Joel McCrea Ranch Foundation.
He effectively remained in the western genre for the rest of his time in motion pictures, most famously reuniting with one of the other most well-known western performers in the business, Randolph Scott, for the critically acclaimed Ride the High Country (1962). It was one of his final films before his retirement in 1976.
For his work as an onscreen cowboy, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. McCrea ultimately lived the cowboy life offscreen as well, settling down in a ranch of his own that he maintained with his wife and sons. Even though Joel McCrea passed away from pneumonia on October 20, 1990, at the age of eighty-four, The Joel and Frances McCrea Ranch Foundation is still active, led by Joel’s descendants, and continues to welcome visitors.
Joel McCrea and Frances Dee’s Boot-Kicking Range Top Casserole
This recipe is actually courtesy of the McCrea ranch and the
McCrea family themselves, so you know it’s authentic! Both Joel and Frances are
credited with the invention of this fry-up, so we’ll never know who cooked
what, but it’s fun to imagine this couple horsing around their ranch’s kitchen,
whipping this up in their cowboy boots!
1lb extra lean ground meat (I used beef)
1 onion
4 carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 cans kidney beans
2 garlic buds
Optional: Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, mushrooms, crushed red chili peppers (I used all of the above)
Brown the meat.
Add the onion and garlic.
Add kidney beans, cut carrots to the mixture, add cabbage.
Fry for 45 minutes.
WARNING: DO NOT fry for 45 minutes as stated. Read on to learn why and fry for 20 minutes instead if you plan on making this dish!)
This is how my casserole turned out! It looked much better going into the pot than it did coming out of it!
I first gravitated toward this recipe for Joel McCrea, of
course, but also for its comfort factor and simplicity. The brief list of
ingredients and the directions that were even more brief made this casserole
appealing. It’s basically a “toss these ingredients in a skillet and fry
them up” kind of meal, which I hadn’t really tried in an Old Hollywood
context before, so I was intrigued. The cabbage and the cooking time scared me
a little bit, but I put all of my trust in Joel and Frances and made the recipe
exactly as stated, with the exception of adding a little bit of butter in with
the vegetables to avoid everything sticking together. Unfortunately, nothing
could save these vague directions. While the combination of food worked well
together, the fact that no cooking temperature or liquid is included in this
recipe quickly turns Joel’s dinner idea from promising to disastrous.
Even the butter that I added on top of my constant stirring couldn’t keep this mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and immediately burning on medium heat. It was simply impossible to cook this dish with no liquid, no oil, nothing, for forty-five minutes and not have a burnt end result. If you intend to recreate this, DO NOT replicate it exactly. It just doesn’t work as-is. If you want to make this and end up with something edible, add some chicken stock, tomato sauce, or even just plain water in with your vegetables and cook the whole thing for about twenty minutes, and I promise you’ll get a meal you can actually enjoy. I had such high hopes for this casserole, and I’ll very likely attempt it again with my own suggested improvements. The taste was still pretty good even after everything, but as it is I can’t in good faith give this recipe more than two Vincents.
McCrea’s Casserole gets 2 Vincents!
…
–Samantha Ellis for Classic Movie Hub
Samantha resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania and is the author of Musings of a Classic Film Addict, a blog that sheds light on Hollywood films and filmmakers from the 1930s through the 1960s. Her favorite column that she pens for her blog is Cooking with the Stars, for which she tests and reviews the personal recipes of stars from Hollywood’s golden age. When she isn’t in the kitchen, Samantha also lends her voice and classic film knowledge as cohost of the Ticklish Business podcast alongside Kristen Lopez and Drea Clark, and proudly serves as President of TCM Backlot’s Philadelphia Chapter. You can catch up with her work by following her @classicfilmgeek on Twitter.
Win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: When Harry Met Sally” on the Big Screen! In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Dec 1 and Tues Dec 3
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
CMH continues with our 4th year of our partnership with Fathom Events – with the 14th of our 14 movie ticket giveaways for 2019, courtesy of Fathom Events!
We’ll be giving away EIGHT PAIRS of tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: When Harry Met Sally (30th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen — starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher.
In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Nov 16 at 6pm EST.
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday, Nov 17, between 6PM EST and 7PM EST. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.
When Harry Met Sally, directed by Rob Reiner… written by Nora Ephron
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday Nov 16 at 6pm EST…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
THE QUESTION: Although not officially a classic-era film, what in your opinion makes “When Harry Met Sally” a classic? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to see it on the Big Screen?
2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message: I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: When Harry Met Sally (30th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents – you can #EnterToWin too at http://ow.ly/5Qv650wWXc7
IMPORTANT: If you don’t have a Twitter account OR if your Twitter account is private, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account (or it is private), so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.
ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan… Harry and Sally…
About the film: A special 30th Anniversary showing is coming to select theaters nationwide. Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally ALbright (Meg Ryan) meet when they share a car on a trip from Chicago to New York right after both graduate from college. As the two build their lives and careers in Manhattan, they find love and heartache– with other people– but their paths continue to cross and their friendship continues to grow over the years… until they confront the decision whether to let their friendship develop into a romance. The anniversary event includes exclusive insight from Turner Classic Movies.
Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest. (see contest rules for further information)
BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).
“Film’s First Family: The Untold Story of the Costellos” We have FOUR Books to Give Away this month!
“It is as gripping as an epic novel” – Kevin Brownlow, Filmmaker and Film Historian
It’s time for our next book giveaway contest! This month CMH is very happy to announce that we will be giving away FOUR COPIES of “Film’s First Family: The Untold Story of the Costellos” by Terry Chester Shulman, courtesy of University Press of Kentucky, from now through Oct 26.
In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Nov 23 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
Nov 2: One Winner
Nov 9: One Winner
Nov 16: One Winner
Nov 23: One Winner
We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub, the day after each winner is picked at 9PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winner on Sunday Nov 24 at 9PM EST on Twitter. And, please note that you don’t have to have a Twitter account to enter; just see below for the details…
“The Goddess of the Silent Screen” Dolores Costello married John Barrymore in 1928. They are Drew Barrymore’s grandparents.
…..
And now on to the contest!
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 23 at 9PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
2)ThenTWEET (not DM) the following message*: Just entered to win the “Film’s First Family: The Untold Story of the Costellos” #BookGiveaway courtesy of @KentuckyPress & @ClassicMovieHub You can #EnterToWin here http://ow.ly/kmRP50wWWIH
THE QUESTION: What is it about the Costellos that intrigue you? And if you’re not familiar with their legacy, why do you want to win this book?
*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.
ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…
About the Book: Scandal, adultery, secret marriages, celebrity, divorce, custody battles, suicide attempts, and alcoholism ― the trials and tribulations of the Costellos were as riveting as any Hollywood feature film. Written with unprecedented access to the family’s personal documents and artifacts ― and interviews with several family members, including Dolores Barrymore Bedell (the daughter of John Barrymore and Dolores Costello) and Helene’s daughter Deirdre ― this riveting study explores the dramatic history of the Costellos and their extraordinary significance to the stage and screen. The original members of this pioneering family may be gone, but the name and legacy of the Costellos will live on through their accomplishments, films, and descendants―most notably, actress Drew Barrymore.
Click here for the full contest rules.
Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).
Good Luck!
And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase the on amazon by clicking here:
Western RoundUp: Hop-a-long Cassidy (1935) on Location in Lone Pine
Earlier this month I had a wonderful time at the 30th Lone Pine
Film Festival, which I previewed here in September.
2019 Lone Pine Film Festival programs
My seventh year attending the festival was a busy long weekend,
which included nine movie screenings and three location tours, not to mention
the festival parade and a closing night campfire! Although the weekend was
filled with activity, somehow it also managed to be very relaxing. I especially
like the way screenings can be alternated with other activities at this
festival.
The very first film I watched at the 2019 festival was Hop-a-long Cassidy (1935). This also happened to be the very first “Hoppy” film, based on the character created by Clarence E. Mulford. This movie is also sometimes known by an alternate title, Hopalong Cassidy Enters.
Lone Pine Film Festival Hop-a-long Cassidy (1935)
I’ve seen a number of Hopalong Cassidy films in the last few years
thanks to the festival, and I found it particularly enjoyable to see the movie
which kicked off the long-running film series, which later morphed into a TV
program.
Watching the movie, it’s hard to believe now that William Boyd was not the first choice for the role. While there are different stories floating around as to how casting plans evolved — some sources indicate character actor James Gleason was the first choice of producer Harry “Pop” Sherman, which is hard to imagine now — the ultimate choice of Boyd proved to be inspired.
William Boyd
Boyd simultaneously conveys a steely “Don’t mess with me” authority with a kindly and patient nature; throughout this film, every time hotheaded young Johnny (James Ellison) expresses regret for a mistake, Hoppy responds with a reassuring “You’re all right, Kid!” Hoppy is fatherly while still young enough to be an action star; whether a fistfight or gunfight is involved, once Hoppy arrives on the scene, all will be well.
In this first film, Boyd’s character is initially introduced as
Bill Cassidy, who works for the Bar 20 Ranch; he’s dubbed Hop-a-long as he
limps around while recovering from being shot. “Ol’ Hop-a-long Cassidy,
that’s me!”
Hopalong Cassidy Enters (1935)
The plot concerns nasty H2 Ranch foreman Jack Anthony (Kenneth Thomson), who plots to turn his own employer, Jim Meeker (Robert Warwick), against neighboring Bar 20 employees, who include Hoppy, Johnny, Ben (George “Gabby” Hayes), and foreman Buck Peters (Charles Middleton). Anthony is working with rustlers to steal cattle from both ranches, and his plan is for the ranchers to blame one another rather than the real culprits.
The folks who work on the two ranches are soon at loggerheads
thanks to Anthony’s machinations, though Johnny nonetheless dares to visit the
H2 Ranch to spend time with the owner’s pretty daughter, Mary (Paula Stone).
Eventually, Anthony’s plot becomes clear and the Bar 20 and H2 ranchers join forces to combat the rustlers.
Doris Schroeder’s Hop-a-long Cassidy screenplay tells a great deal of the story in its one-hour running time, with well-developed characters, solid drama, and good action sequences. Director Howard Bretherton keeps things moving while seeing that light comedy and romance are balanced with gunfights and even pathos; Gabby Hayes has quite a memorable death scene as the mortally wounded Ben (Hayes) still manages to let Hoppy know critical information.
James Ellison, John Merton, Paula Stone, Kenneth Thomson, and Robert Warwick in Hop-a-Long Cassidy (1935)
All in all, it’s a strong film which set a firm foundation for the many Hopalong Cassidy films and TV episodes to follow. Later in the weekend, as a matter of fact, I enjoyed another early film in the series, Hopalong Rides Again (1937).
The film was helped greatly by atmospheric filming by Archie Stout
in the Alabama Hills outside Lone Pine; a significant portion of the film was
shot there, with only a handful of scenes taking place indoors.
One of the great pleasures of the Lone Pine Film Festival is the ability to watch a film and shortly thereafter be standing in the exact spots where the movie was filmed. Within a couple of hours of seeing Hop-a-long Cassidy, I participated in a car caravan tour to the film’s locations just a few minutes outside of town.
Lone Pine Film Festival Hop-a-long Cassidy (1935) tour ticket
Our tour guide, Greg Parker, has great knowledge of Hopalong Cassidy films and the Alabama Hills. He was aided in his tour by a booklet of screenshots prepared by another regular Alabama Hills tour guide, former L.A. Times photographer Don Kelsen. We used the booklet to match up scenes with each Hop-a-long Cassidy location we visited.
Hop-a-longCassidy scene booklet
Most Alabama Hills tours begin with a drive down scenic Whitney
Portal Road towards Movie Road, named as it leads to a variety of areas
regularly used for filming by movie production companies.
Whitney Portal Road
Finding movie locations is rather like a puzzle, matching up rock formations with screen captures. For instance, the rock formations seen in the booklet in Picture A2…
On location for scene A2
…are right here.
I have sometimes thought how amazed movie companies of the ’30s,
’40s, and ’50s would be if they could have foreseen so many of us making
pilgrimages to the places where they worked!
John Gilliland, who often attends the festival wearing his
extensively researched Hopalong Cassidy gear, re-enacted Gabby Hayes’ death
scene for us along with a volunteer, in the exact location where it was shot
over 84 years ago. They were great sports, and we all had a good time with
that.
Spoiler Alert: Gabby Hayes’ death scene reenactment
The vehicles in the background, incidentally, were parked for the annual horseback ride through the Alabama Hills hosted by McGee Creek Pack Station. My husband was one of those exploring the hills on horseback while I was on the Hoppy tour, another great illustration of the variety of activities that are available at the festival.
Compare the location above with the screenshot of William Boyd and Gabby Hayes in the lower right corner:
Screenshot from Hayes’ death scene
Over the years I’ve found the tours educational in a variety of
respects. For instance, a production company with a lean budget could often
achieve a variety of background “looks” simply by rotating the camera
to another angle, without spending time and money setting up in a new location.
They also cleverly used optical illusions; for instance, in the
movie Hoppy lassos a boulder and seemingly scales a steep mountain wall. In
reality, Boyd was simply walking up a path toward the rope. Here John
Gilliland’s Hoppy hat pops up over the rocks as he demonstrates for us the path
Boyd took during his “climb”:
Hoppy’s rock climb in reality
Gilliland, incidentally, is a font of knowledge regarding Hopalong
Cassidy in general and Hoppy’s costumes in particular, and during the course of
the tour he described for us how Boyd worked with Edith Head to establish
Hoppy’s initial “look” and then made further changes to the costume
early on in the film series. He’s always a welcome presence at the festival.
Here’s one more screenshot comparison, showing a scene where Hoppy
is resting against a rock:
Hop-a-Long’s nap rock
Hoppy was here:
A comfortable place for a rest
We spent a couple of hours visiting many more locations seen in
the film. It’s a great deal of fun being able to do so, and the experience also
really changes a viewer’s perspective watching the many additional Westerns
filmed in the Alabama Hills.
A true western fan always gets a souvenir
The Lone Pine Film Festival is a “must” for classic film fans in general and those who love Westerns in particular, and I strongly encourage anyone with interest to attend a future festival. A memorable experience is guaranteed.
…
– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub
Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns. She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals. Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.
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